Wednesday, March 30, 2011

I’ve been seeing and reading small pieces of information about the walk that sparked my interest and support. Originally I had thought the reason for such an empowering movement had come solely from slut shaming still being such a large part of todays society. It wasn’t until I received an email did I realize this walk has more meaning behind it then simply fighting stereotypes and sexual freedom. Upon reading the email and subsequently visiting the website, I learned that on January 24, 2011 a rep. from the Toronto Police stated, “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized”. The organization, it’s allies, and their many supporters, myself included, are tired of the myths and stereotypes perpetuated about victims of sexual assault. With this march they hope to spark a realization and understanding that no matter someone’s choice in clothing, occupation, or lifestyle, sexual assault is never acceptable as a part of life and should never be blamed on the victim. SlutWalk Toronto is an event everyone, inside of Canada or not, should be aware of. To learn more about the march, create your own march in solidarity, or to spread the word visit slutwalktoronoto.com!

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

The beginning of my spring break started off with an amazing opportunity. I and three other Women’s Center employees flew out to Washington, D.C. to attend the 7th Annual National Young Feminist Leadership Conference. Once there, we were able to take part in various workshops headed by other active and inspiring feminists. After two days filled with amazing speeches, I left D.C. no longer feeling alone in my struggles to help the women of the world whether they be on campus or off. Coming back, I was hit with the sudden realization that the war on women is still a huge issue that needs to constantly be addressed on all fronts not just on the national level. Feminists need to remember each other and stay connected; we in Massachusetts can't forget about our sisters and brothers in Illinois, Texas, or California. We need to be united, not divided. Ignoring the struggles that face feminists in the other 49 states can no longer take place. I am more committed than ever to staying connected with feminists not just in the Northeast but all over our country. By carrying out such an easy task, we can join forces making our voices louder. I hope the feminists reading this blog take what I'm saying and reach out to one another far and wide.

Monday, March 21, 2011

This is not what we see when we open an issue of Cosmo or Newsweek. We do not see this in Ladies' Home Journal, Entertainment Weekly, or TV Guide. We won't find this in the sidebar of most websites, and it most certainly can't be found on a billboard.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Depictions of feminism and feminists in the media, modern cinema, and other aspects of American culture present people with a caricature of a woman that is hostile, militant, sexually repressed, and bearing an addiction to “kill babies”, as Anti-choice parasites proclaim across conservative TV and radio programs. And conservative voices have painted a portrait of feminists as having hatred toward men, always ready and eager to attack. This depiction could not be possible within a functioning society, unless feminist ideas were in the minority. But feminist ideas are the majority.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Walking into the Main Auditorium yesterday to hear Sonia Sanchez read her poems and speak to the audience, I wasn't sure what to expect. She had spoken the previous night, but by the time I'd learned of her appearance it was too late. For those of you unfamiliar with the woman I speak of, she is a well known poet, playwright, professor, lecturer, and activist. Now, I'm not familiar with the poetry world and I know little about spoken word but was excited when a small group of students were given a chance to recite their own pieces. The strength and power coming from simple words woven together was simply inspiring. It was encouraging to see other people, from my generation, express themselves about topics close to their hearts. With such a powerful opening and introduction, I was excited when Sonia took to the stage. Though small in stature, her presence was nothing of the sort. Sonia introduced poems by telling stories of their inspiration and creation, and even though they weren't the main focal point, every one had a message and meaning. She put great emphasis on the need for peace in this world and for everyone, young or old, to speak up about the injustices we witness on a day-to-day basis. There is no excuse for someone to sit by and let things happen, we all need to take action and fight for the cause! After hearing her words, her poems, and her stories, Sonia Sanchez has become another woman for myself, and many others, to draw inspiration from.

To learn more about Sonia Sanchez, I encourage you to visit her website: soniasanchez.net!

About UMass Dartmouth Center for Women, Gender & Sexuality

Since 1970 The UMass D Center for Women, Gender and Sexuality has been serving our community. We are here to offer education, information, friendship, support, conversation, entertainment, encouragement and insight!
We are located on the 2nd floor of Campus Center, between SAIL and the Torch office.
For more information
visit: www.umassd.edu/cwgs
Call: 508.910.4584

MVP Powder Puff Game

The following are the picture taken at the first ever UMass Dartmouth Mentors in Violence Prevention Powder Puff game! Thank you to all the women who participated, and all the men and women who came to cheer us on.